Arts and Culture

The arts aren’t reserved for special occasions or for a select few in SLO CAL. Here, they’re part of everyday life, accessible to all.

Discover art galleries tucked into the heart of downtowns throughout the county. On the first Friday of the month, celebrate art at the free Art After Dark event in San Luis Obispo. More than 20 galleries and non-traditional art venues—restaurants, boutiques, salons—spotlight the best of established and emerging local artists. Paso Robles hosts a similar event the first Saturday of the month.
If that’s not enough to get your creative juices flowing, stroll through area art museums that house galleries of fine art and crafts. At Hearst Castle, the county’s crown jewel, admire the extensive fine art collection of famed publisher William Randolph Hearst.

Performing arts enthusiasts will uncover a vast array of options as well, from regional melodrama performances and the symphony to national and international artists performing on campus at Cal Poly. Even the youngest set can get in on the arts and culture action in SLO CAL with learn-through-play experiences at neighborhood children’s museums.